IN MAY, Jeffrey Overstreet’s “Film and Faith” class enjoyed a surprise appearance from Tomm Moore, director of the 2009 Oscar-nominated animated feature film The Secret of Kells, which the students had just viewed.
Moore, also director of Song of the Sea and Wolfwalkers, lives in Ireland, so the time difference precluded a live class session. Instead, Overstreet recorded Moore responding to questions Overstreet had sought earlier from students. The director spoke about the creative decisions involved in making a Cartoon Saloon film as well as how Celtic or Irish art are really just interpretations of designs and ornamentation from the Book of Kells, the famous illuminated manuscripts of the four Gospels. Lindsay Marshall, who specializes in Native history with her doctorate from the University of Oklahoma, also joined the discussion.
In June, Overstreet’s class watched the Oscar-award winning film Minari and then got to meet the movie’s writer/director, Lee Isaac Chung, live via Zoom.
“I’ve known Lee Isaac Chung for years through The Glen Workshop, the annual arts retreat by Image,” said Overstreet, assistant professor of English and writing. “It was a joy to have him answer student questions about Minari and talk about how much of that film is autobiographical. When I surveyed students about the 15 films we studied, Minari was the favorite. I suspect it’s because the director gave us such an intimate and personal experience of that beautiful movie.”
Illustration by Zara Picken
